Building a better Illinois

SPRINGFIELD -- Two beltway veterans are trying to accomplish what state lawmakers haven't been able to for years: reach consensus on a statewide construction program.

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Congressman Glenn Poshard are heading a coalition of business, labor and political leaders assembled by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to turn his $11 billion construction proposal into actual brick, wood and pavement.

And the task could put all their political skills to the test.

A new construction program hasn't passed since well before Blagojevich took office in 2003, leaving a growing collection of beat-up roads and schools that need attention.

Meanwhile, capital proposals have been heavily debated in the Legislature only to stall time after time.

Hastert's and Poshard's job won't be easy -- spending six weeks trying to build up pressure for lawmakers to act at a time when they're not getting along.

And early on, they don't completely agree on the focus of their task.

Hastert, of Plano, sees the group's role as building a strong case for why a construction program must be approved now, not how it would be funded.

"Realistically, that's beyond what we can possibly do," he told The Associated Press. "These guys are elected to make those kinds of decisions."

Poshard, on the other hand, has asked researchers and economists at several state universities to put together analyses of possible money-raising options depending on how large of a capital program lawmakers want to approve.

"It wouldn't necessarily be one particular thing," Poshard said. "It doesn't look like there's one revenue stream that's capable of doing the whole job."

Although Southern Illinois University is waiting along with other state colleges and universities for much-needed project money, Poshard says he's getting involved for the entire southern portion of the state.

"For a rural area (that) really depends upon decent roads and bridges, it's a big deal for all of downstate," Poshard said in an interview.

Adding to the urgency is more than $9 billion in federal highway money -- lined up in part through Hastert's efforts as speaker -- sitting in Washington that Illinois can't tap into until it approves a capital bill. Hastert and Poshard said they fear Illinois could eventually lose that cash and won't see anything near that amount in future funding.

They might seem like an unlikely pair -- Hastert is the former Republican House speaker from the suburbs and Poshard a southern Illinois Democrat who now serves as president of SIU. But they say they've worked well together in the past and see an opportunity to build a consensus.

"I think we can come to things on a fairly objective and nonpartisan basis," Hastert said.

That's why the governor turned to Hastert and Poshard, who have experience dealing with tough issues, Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said.

"They're coming to us as outsiders with no particular allegiance or interest, and that puts them in a good position to bring people together and find common ground," Rausch said.

Their group will conduct a "listening tour" of meetings throughout the state over the next few weeks and submit a report by the end of April that outlines recommendations for moving forward.

Most lawmakers agree that a construction program is badly needed, but they haven't agreed on how to pay for it. Cigarette tax increases, gambling expansion and leasing the state lottery all have been discussed as revenue options, but they went nowhere.

Blagojevich has repeatedly ruled out general income and sales tax increases.

"From the very beginning we've got to look at the other choices that are available," Poshard said. "That's the charge we're under and what we're going to try to stick to."

Poshard says he hopes to help end the deadlock by giving legislators an outsider's perspective on construction needs from someone who's been in their position before as a lawmaker.

"Sometimes, you need to see the whole picture as opposed to the interests of just your district," Poshard said. "Something this comprehensive and this large requires a lot of really hard choices. Sometimes that's difficult for legislators to make."